Stretchable straw hat



Dec. 28, 1965 M. MELTZER ETAL 3,225,361

STRETCHABLE STRAW HAT Filed June 22, 1964 //VVIV7'0RS.' Meyer Melrzer 8 h qrlgs Potosha spurro w on ow ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,225,361 STRETCHABLE STRAW HAT Meyer Meltzer, 135-493 223111 St., Laurelton, N.Y.;

Charles Potash, 22 Oak Wood Terrace, Spring Valley,

N.Y.; and Selig Potash, 3042 Cloverrnere Road, Wanagh,

Filed June 22, 1964, Ser. No. 376,762 2 Claims. (Cl. 2193) This invention relates to straw hats and more particularly to a method of producing same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stretchable straw hat.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a straw hat which is flexible and yet comfortably conforms to heads of various sizes.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of making a stretchable straw hat which is adapted to fit a plurality of heads of various sizes.

Various further and more specific purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification, and illustrates merely by way of example one embodiment by which the invention may be realized.

In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a raw blank from which a hat is to be made; and

FIGS. 2 to 12 illustrate the various steps performed in method of making the hat.

Referring to the drawing, in FIG. 1 there is disclosed a raw blank 15 of any suitable straw material, such as for example, palm straw, woven in a conventional manner. Such a blank contains a normal amount of stretchability distributed throughout the body. In FIGS. 1 and 8, the straw material is indicated in the body of the blank. However, for the sake of clarity, in the remaining figures, this indication has been omitted. Blank 15 is preferably dyed or bleached in a suitable vat 16. This step removes impurities from the blank and makes it more flexible.

After the treated blank 15:: (FIG. 3) is withdrawn from vat 16, it is dried. Blank 15a is then immersed in vat 17 containing water. After a few minutes of immersion, blank 15a is withdrawn and allowed to stand for several hours, more or less, to remove excess moisture. The blank in this condition is indicated in FIG. 5.

While the blank is still in a damp condition, it is subjected to a blocking step, applying heat and pressure, as indicated in FIG. 6. P or this purpose a conventional mold having a top part 13 and a bottom part 19 conforming to the shape the hat is to assume. Conventional heating means, such as gas jets 1%, are provided, as indicated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 indicates by numeral 20 the blocked blank. Blocked blank 26 is now subjected to trimming and stitching steps which may be combined.

FIG. 8 illustrates these steps, wherein the excess 21 is being trimmed from the blocked blank 20a, as for example, by means of knife 22. Knife 22 is merely shown to indicate a step, but is understood that any suitable cutting means may be employed for the purpose.

In the stitching step, heavy thread is used, and as the body of the hat 2% is being stitched, it is worked towards the sewing needle 23 in the direction of the arrow so as to pull in more bias all around the periphery of the crown.

Thereafter, the hat body 2% is bound by stitching binding 25 onto the body 26b, at the same time drawing body 20b towards the needle 23, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 9. By this step, the binding is puckered, as clear y seen in FIG. 9.

After the foregoing step has been completed, the bound body 20b is partially immersed in vat 26 containing Water. Brim 27 and part of crown 28 are immersed in water and are subsequently withdrawn and blocked for the second time, as illustrated in FIG. 11. This second wetting and blocking shrinks the binding to pull in more bias and sets the bias and thus the stretcha'bility of the hat. The finished stretchable hat 30 is provided with a stretchable band 31, as indicated in FIG. 12.

The steps indicated in FIGS. 8 to 11, inc usive, contribute considerably in the formation of the stretchable hat.

The weave of the blank, as it starts out from the tip of the crown, obtains a bias as it is Woven towards its natural shape. This bias is greatest at the outer edge of the blank. Compressing the outer woven straws together by manually drawing the blank towards the stitching needle enables the bias to be pushed back towards the middle of the blank around the periphery of the blank. Thus, by pushing towards the needle to close the weave of the straw, the bias is pushed back along the brim in the vicinity of the crown. By pushing the bias towards this juncture, the stretch feature is created. By pre-blocking, the exact position, namely, where the crown meets the brim, is located so that if the brim is worked correctly, the stretch feature is created. This is held in by securely and tightly sewing together the outer edge of the brim.

It is easier to sew the brim if it is done at the same time that the excess straw is trimmed off, since this facilitates the pushing together of the outer edges of the woven straw and effects a greater bias toward the desired location, namely, where the crown meets the brim. The more the outer straw is pushed together, the greater the bias obtainable at the desired location. The outer edge of the brim is then enclosed with a cotton type of binding to further secure the outside strip.

By dipping the bound brim in water, the weave of the outside straw is pushed together to a greater extent by the shirring action of the cotton binding as it dries. This further increases the stretchability of the hat.

The extra operation of another block on the desired shape block secures and enhances the appearance and stretchability of the final product. To further enhance the appearance of the hat and at the same time maintain the greater stretchability, a decorative, elastic type band is attached around the base of the crown.

From the foregoing, there has been provided a comfortable stretchable straw hat which is adapted to conform to heads of various shapes and sizes.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain particular preferred method which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover such changes and modifications.

We claim:

1. In a method of producing a stretchable straw hat having a woven body comprising a crown and a brim, the steps of: trimming said brim and stitching said brim with 3,2 9 a a needle, drawing said brim towards said needle while said brim is being stitched, whereby the outer woven straws are compressed enabling the bias to be pushed back towards the middle of said body.

2. In a method of producing a stretchable straw hat having a woven body comprising a crown and a brim and a binding, the steps of: trimming said brim and stitching said brim with a stitching needle, drawing said brim towards said stitching needle while said brim is being stitched, whereby the outer woven straws are compressed enabling the bias to be pushed back towards the middle of said body, binding said brim with a sewing needle, drawing said brim towards said sewing needle while said brim is being bound, dampening and blocking the said body before trimming, and moistening said brim and ad- 1 acent portion of said crown with water and then blocking said body, after binding.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Wollner et a1 2-193 X Gerber 2-193 X Alea 2-193 Wittcoff 2-193 X Lipper 66-171 Wittcoff 2-193 X Tice 2-193 X Wiedeman 2-193 Exl 2-2093 X Trimpert 2-193 FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner. JORDAN FRANKLIN, G. KRIZMANICH,

Assistant Examiners. 

2. IN A METHOD OF PRODUCING A STRETCHABLE STRAW HAT HAVING A WOVEN BODY COMPRISING A CROWN AND A BRIM AND A BINDING, THE STEPS OF: TRIMMING SAID BRIM AND STITCHING SAID BRIM WITH A STITCHING NEEDLE, DRAWING SAID BRIM TOWARDS SAID STITCHING NEEDLE WHILE SAID BRIM IS BEING STITCHED, WHEREBY THE OUTER WOVEN STRAWS ARE COMPRESSED ENABLING THE BIAS TO BE PUSHED BACK TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF SAID BODY, BINDING SAID BRIM WITH A SEWING NEEDLE, DRAWING SAID BRIM TOWARDS SAID SEWING NEEDLE WHILE SAID BRIM IS BEING BOUND, DAMPENING AND BLOCKING THE SAID BODY BEFORE TRIMMING, AND MOISTENING SAID BRIM AND ADJACENT PORTION OF SAID CROWN WITH WATER AND THEN BLOCKING SAID BODY, AFTER BINDING. 